Cyclists who have taken part in bp’s Coast 2 Coast cycle across Scotland have raised more than £2million for local charities through their annual fundraising efforts.
A total of 35 local charities of all sizes in the North-east have been helped to deliver vital services within the community.
Ahead of the fourteenth Coast 2 Coast cycle next week, bp has announced that the ride has raised an incredible £2,013,487.68 over the past 14 years and it is hoped this year’s ride will raise more than £120,000 for good causes. Coast 2 Coast chairperson, Nandini Nagra, said:
“The cycle has created an amazing legacy for local charities. It has become a landmark event in the bp calendar, with many cyclists returning year on year as well as new recruits keen to take part. I have no doubt this year’s riders will hit their target raising much needed funds for Ythan Valley Rotary/Rotary Club Kharkiv International in Ukraine, as well as Northsound Cash for Kids, ACIS Youth and The Archie Foundation Baird Family Hospital Appeal.”
Camphill School Aberdeen was one of bp’s nominated charities for three years between 2018 and 2022. The charity, which supports children and young people – many with additional support needs – to achieve their potential, has received almost £120,000 as a result of the cycle across Scotland.
The money has been used to help create additional learning opportunities for residents at Camphill, contributing to a new training kitchen, which offers cooking lessons for residents of all abilities, a bike maintenance workshop and support for the development of the charity’s social enterprise, Murtle Market, which will open to the public in coming months. This will deliver fresh produce across Aberdeen city and Shire in an environmentally friendly way.
Nico Nino-Ramirez, sustainable development and social enterprise lead, Camphill School Aberdeen and committee member for Coast 2 Coast, said: “The one thing about Coast 2 Coast is that it provides charities with accessible and tangible funding, which they don’t need to go through a lengthy process to receive. This means they can continue to provide valuable local services and create new opportunities to support people. This is what makes communities stronger.
“Coast 2 Coast has traditionally supported causes really close to the hearts of the riders and some of the riders have been personally touched by the issues. With riders being so close to the causes they are advocating for; this also means the charities have access to a network of support.
“When you provide £30,000 to £40,000 to a small cause with an identifiable need, purpose or outcome, it can be transformative.”
Former bp employee Hilary Mulligan was part of the Coast 2 Coast team for 10 years and his son Niall recently moved to Camphill as a resident. He said: “We are so lucky to have Niall in that environment. He gets so much out of it. He does all the activities including the gardening, the farm activities and uses the bikes and swimming pool. The community and the family aspect are so important. Niall lives in a house where he is part of a real family. The Camphill community is helping Niall to develop his potential, supporting him to be as confident and independent as possible.”
Camphill is not a nominated charity this year, but Nico is still riding the 250-miles from Gairloch to Aberdeen next week.
As a committee member, Nico is responsible for liaising with the nominated charities and developing additional fundraising ideas alongside the main cycle. So far, the committee has organised a ceilidh, quiz, Easter raffle and a fundraising collaboration with RIDE coffee house in Banchory.
The Coast 2 Coast committee anticipates raising £120,000 which will be shared evenly between the four nominated charities – Ythan Valley Rotary/Rotary Club Kharkiv International in Ukraine, as well as Northsound Cash for Kids, ACIS Youth and The Archie Foundation Baird Family Hospital Appeal.
ACIS Youth Counselling is part of Mental Health Aberdeen, and it provides confidential, therapeutic counselling to young people in the North-east.
Katrina Thomson, ACIS Youth primary school counsellor, explained how the Coast 2 Coast money will be used to provide important services for young people within the community.
She said: “The money raised by Coast 2 Coast will help us create a sustainable model for recruitment of counselling staff. We will use the funding to replicate our current training opportunities and deliver post qualifying training to our existing youth counsellors to develop specific skills that will allow them to become primary school counsellors.
“Thanks to Coast 2 Coast we will be able to offer this incredibly valuable service to an ever-growing number of children and increase the likelihood that all our children will achieve their full potential.”
Each cyclist covers their own costs and has a fundraising target of £1,000. All money raised by bp employees is matched by the bp Foundation – doubling the value of any contributions.
To sponsor cyclists taking part in the Coast 2 Coast challenge from May 25-28, please click below.
ACIS Youth Counselling: https://www.justgiving.com/team/C2CACISYouth
Cash4Kids: https://www.justgiving.com/team/Cash4KidsC2C
Archies Baird Hospital Appeal: https://www.justgiving.com/team/C2CBairdHospital
Ythan Valley Rotary/Kharkiv International Rotary supported by Aberdeen Deeside Rotary https://www.justgiving.com/page/daryl-jackson-c2c2023